Runnerflu > Manflu

T'is the season to be phlegmy....... 

On a sliding scale of illness severity, runnerflu comes in pretty high. Of course manflu gets all the attention but a runner with a bad cold and unable to train properly or at all is a special case.

We've all been there- training is going well, you have a path mapped out towards a certain goal when the throat starts to tingle and nose goes into meltdown. The training through sickness conundrum raises it's head. It can be so hard to be in that situation and know what the correct thing to do is. 

You take time off, you're losing fitness and feel as though you're being soft on yourself. 

You tough it out and continue to train and you risk exacerbating the symptoms and taking longer to recover and ultimately longer to get back to proper, healthy, beneficial training.

The general rule is, If it's above the neck it's ok to train. In other words training with a chesty cold or feverish is a big no no were running should be obviously out of the question.

It's the grey area of being sick but not really sick which causes the most confusion. The truth is if ever there was a case of less is more- training while under the weather is it. 

You need to ask certain questions-

What is the purpose of my current training?

If it's a race goal and the race date is near then recovering quickly should be the immediate goal. Nutrition, hydration and rest should be the priority over miles in the legs. Ultimately the training you've done and fitness gained won't disappear because of a couple of missed runs. However continuing to run and prolonging the sickness towards race day may effect your ability to utilise those fitness gains fully during the race.

If your at the start of a training cycle, training through sickness and perhaps prolonging it and therefore having a longer negative impact on training isn't ideal. Again a step back and focusing on restoring the body seems the logical step. Better to miss a few runs or run easy for a short spell of time that push the body too hard and so remain under par for longer.

If your current training is just for maintenance during the off season, which often coincides with flu season then there is no better time to give yourself a break.

There really are very few reasons to continue to push hard when sick. The 'above the neck rule' gives us permission to continue to run, but what a lot of people seem to forget is that the suggestion also says to reduce intensity. As runners we are  programmed to need, to want to get our scheduled workouts at the prescribed intensity. To bail on a workout or run it easy feels like failure, the voice in our heads starts to pipe up that you're 'being too soft on yourself', 'you'll lose fitness', 'you won't be ready for race day'. Sometimes the hardest thing to do as a runner is nothing at all. So rather than doing nothing maybe there's a case for reassessment- instead of focusing on the training plan staples of distance and paces, we need to prioritise recovery as best as we can. Think of it as a recovery plan-

• Drink plenty. Hydration is key to flush out cold's and break down congestion.
• Take Vitamin C and Zinc to speed up recovery.
• Drink hot broths and soups to sooth sore throats and feed the body what it needs to revive.
• Rest and sleep as much as possible.
• Gargle warm salt water.
• Destress- it's not the best time for tax returns.
• Go for a walk- It will get you outside and shake off any feeling of lethargy.
• Take a nice hot bath to clear the airways and sooth the aches and pains.
• Using the time that would be spent running to look at your training plan/race plan. 

Focusing on recovery and what you intend to do when you are recovered will give you a feeling of being in control- yes you are unwell but you have taken control and decided to plot the best possible pathway back to training rather than just ignore it and hope for the best. It's all to easy to feel unwell and sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. By putting a focus on recovering it can force you to remember to do those things that will get us to where we want to be.

Sometimes running smart means not running at all.

Great Training ≠ Great Racing

Mental toughness, inner grit, steel, drive. That inevitable moment in a race when the going gets tough has always been challenge for me. 

My inner voice, the side of the brain that shouts excuses 'you don't need this, slow down, take it easy, who cares if you run a PB' has always been strong and very, very stubborn. I've struggled in races because I either didn't want it bad enough or just wasn't will to hurt the required amount to achieve the goal. In other cases I've been unwilling to push hard enough in the early part of the race because I feared the inevitable discomfort that would come sooner. It's alway felt like the pain and discomfort of racing hard has come as a shock that causes me to panic. If I'm going to find X Percent and achieve my goals on race day I have to break in that horse. 

Training for a sub 3 marathon feels like a challenge that is just at the limits of my ability, I need every advantage to succeed. Learning to execute a great race from a mental perspective would be a huge plus. The percentage gains from training the brain as well as the body are immeasurable but potentially much higher than the promised gains of running shoe manufacturers. 

I've run races before where I've reached the point of having to dig deep.... I just mentally threw in the towel. I guess many of us have been there: you go out at goal pace and run well for 20 or 22 miles only to be swallowed up by the pace group advertising your target on their pace balloons or flags as they disappear down the road in front of you. Sometimes this is because your not physically prepared other times because your not mentally ready, either way it's not a nice feeling. I've trained really well for a races in the past, hitting all my pace and distance targets. Then when the going got tough I've I've said 'f**k this'. I've just been unwilling to deal with race pain which has almost come as a shock. The truth is, there should be no shock, only a calm acknowledgment and acceptance of the natural by-product of racing hard and racing well- temporary discomfort.

As part of my X percent quest I have to focus on being in good mental and physical shape.

I've been reading Brain Training for Runners by Matt Fitzgerald and there is some great coping strategies in there. My plan is to develop an arsenal of weapons to quell the negative inner voice when it gets to the business end of racing by practising the techniques in training. Fitzgerald talks about understanding and acknowledging race pain but not dwelling on it which can turn the pain into suffering.

Another great book full of self talk tips is The Brave Athlete: Calm the F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion by Simon Marshall PhD, Lesley Paterson. It contains plenty of case studies, exercises and race day tactics to master the mental side of endurance sports. I always considered self talk and mindfulness as a little airy-fairy, a bit hippy for my macho ego. But the truth is running and racing in particular is largely mental, as the saying goes it's 90% mental, 10% physical. 

I'm not sure how accurate that 90/10 ratio is but there is no denying the significance of good mental fortitude. It can be the difference in turning great training into a great race.

Recover and Plan

The trickiest part of training is often the bit in-between training blocks.

Since I crossed the finish line in Dublin in October the goal has been two fold: to recover properly and plan for what's next.

The recovery has gone well for the most part. I still have some issues with my heel. The tendon was slow to improve and it's still more a case on managing it rather than being fully recovered from it. Hard tempo efforts and reps still tend to leave me feeling tender and sore the flowing day. Definitely need to concentrate on strengthening and the exercises I was prescribed for my rehab.....funny how when things improve a bit the rehab get forgotten.

My leg strength, particularly my gluteus is shocking. I've incorporated two thirty minute sessions on the rowing machine per week. So far it's helping. Recovery after races and training sessions is something I've been very poor at in the past. If I am to improve this is definitely an area where there are gains to be made.

In order to improve by 'X percent' and run under three hours, good recovery won't automatically make me run faster. However if I can get from training session to training session properly rested and recovered and absorb the harder efforts properly, running each session stronger, hopefully the improvements will then come.

Recovery tools 

Protein Intake:

I've read and heard many times that getting some quality protein onboard within thirty minutes of finishing a training session help to rebuild muscle damage caused by intense activity. With this in mind I've started to take a protein shake after all harder efforts.

It tastes nice, weather it makes any difference or not remains to be seen. My gut is telling me some scrambled egg or a tin of tuna would be just as good and considerably cheaper, I'll go with the expensive vanilla ice cream flavoured option for now!

Epsom Salt Baths:

On easy days I've started to use epsom salt baths having also read and heard of their benefits. The theory is the salt breaks down into magnesium and sulfate. Then when you soak in the warm bath these elements are absorbed into your body through your skin which helps the muscles. Again the advantages of this has to be taken with a pinch of salt (pun intended). The main scepticism being due to the fact human skin is pretty water proof so not an ideal conduit for the transportation of salt ions. There is an excellent review on Painscience.com which can be found HERE

My own initial view is that the heat does get the blood moving in the muscles so must help to some degree. I am lucky enough to have access to a hut tub which is basically the same thing minus the salt. Using this before hard efforts feels great for getting the blood moving to the muscles.

Compression:

I've always used compression sock after races and hard efforts. I do feel they have helped the legs recover quicker. I've taken it to another level with a pair of compression boots.

These pneumatic full length sexy boots are purported to:  

'improve blood circulation, help remove waste products from training, racing or games and reduces inflammation or swelling'.

I'll write a more in-depth review of these at a later stage. One thing I will say about these is they leave my legs feeling great! Although I did get some weird looks from the rest of the family.

Sports message and self massage:

Getting a professional sports therapist to give a sports massage and be able to keep an eye out for potential problems is a no brainer. In the past I've only done this when I've had a problem. My intention for the next few months of training is to go once every few weeks. 

When I had shockwave therapy  on my heel two things struck me: 1. it was very expensive and 2. it was very painful though the relief it gave me was remarkable. I devised my own methods to self administer  some treatment to my heel which was still troublesome. I used a message stick in the bath to roll the area out which gave some relief and then I came across this:

The Hypervolt message tool. Again like most sports recovery aids it promises much:

• Helps relieve muscle soreness and stiffness
• Improves range of motion
• Promotes circulation
• Accelerates warmup and recovery

For me it was a godsend in relieving my tendinitis. I also use it to rub down any stiff muscles which gives great relief and hopefully will keep me on the road in the X percent quest!

So as you can see I've gone from not taking recovery very seriously to taking it VERY seriously.

The other thing I've had an eye on since the Dublin Marathon is planning. This whole idea to leave no stone unturned and go for a sub 3 marathon has evolved a lot of googling race dates and training plans. I came across a plan called the Hanson Marathon Method some time ago and was intrigued by it. It has become somewhat notorious because it's longest long run is 'only' 16 miles. I decided to investigate it after speaking to a few people who swore by it. Having read the book I've decided to base my training on it's advanced training plan. The reason I opted for this is it's simplicity (in understanding it not completing it) and it's strong focus on a lot of miles at marathon pace and faster during the training, something I feel I've been lacking in before.

I've been dabbling with a few of the sessions from the book. Referred to as SOS or something of substance sessions which cover tempo runs (marathon pace), speed and strength runs (reps) and long runs. I'm looking forward to getting into it and hope to follow it as closely as I can with a few adaptations......more on that at another time. 

The plan starts the first week of December, my first deviation from the plan comes three days in as I have an entry for the Waterford half marathon.....possibly not the best way to start a plan but it should give me an idea of where I am- a confidence boost or a kick in the arse.

What is the X percent?

In 2009 I started running, my Forrest Gump moment. Unfit and unhealthy blah, blah- you know the story, there’s a million others similar out there. 

Like all those others I became passionate about running. Made all the mistakes- too much, too soon. I ran my first marathon eight months after my first run. At thirty five I limped my way to a 4:22 marathon with a bad dose of tendonitis in my underprepared knees. The pain didn't deter me I was hooked. 

I embarked on a journey into a new world, a world of all things running. I learned by reading up in books and online, I learned a lot from my own mistakes and slowly I improved. 

Other race distances were sampled- 5k’s, 10k’s, half marathons, more marathons. I got quicker......... sub 4 hours. I delighted in the journey, ‘I can go quicker’. Sub 3:45, sub 3:30 times continued to improve.

I traveled to marathons overseas. Berlin, Barcelona, New York, Miami. Discovering new places and getting faster. 

Then I decided running further was my future- 50k, 60k, 80k. Running over mountain trails and into uncharted territory.

I soon realised the running further usually meant running slower so the marathons I did run were slower than my PB which was then down to 3:15. I decided I wanted to see how fast I could get. Seeing people finish marathons in 2:xx had always intrigued me, surely I couldn't run that time? Slowly It became a goal, a fixation. I ran on. The PB's lowered- 3:12, 3:10, 3:09, 3:07. Then from the age of 44 it changed, 3:10, 3:12. Plateaued, peaked, over the hill. The sub 3 dream was starting to fade. I reviewed my training and apart from some niggles that had hampered training and getting older nothing had changed. I looked at my lifetime stats-

Total Activities: 3824 (10 years)

Total Distance: 22,332.31 miles

Total Activity Time: 3031:07:08 h:m:s

Activity Calories: 2,423,382 C

Total Elev Gain: 313,793 m

Average Speed: 7.1 mph

All those miles, all that time and yet I was feeling like I’d come up short. I tried many things to improve- high milage, adding more speed work. I was running consistently over 2000 miles a year but much like the fabled wall in the marathon itself I seemed to have reached a wall that was a boundary of my own ability. 

2019 has been a strange year, I've struggled with niggles including a tendinopathy in my achilles which meant it was difficult to walk most morning let alone run. Six sessions of painful shockwave therapy, some strength and conditioning and cross training saw me turn the corner over the summer. But it still seemed 2019 was to be the first year I would not run a marathon since my first in 2009. 

The summer rolled on, I felt better and friends and club mates turned their attention to marathon training. I started joining them for the 'shorter' long runs and pretty soon I was on board to run the Dublin marathon. For the first time ever I did't follow a plan but employed some of the lessons I'd learned over the years to hit the targets I knew would see me arrive at the start line in decent shape while listening to my body and not over doing it. 

The October bank holiday weekend rolled around and I found myself standing at the start line of the Dublin marathon. The result was a 3:12 not my fastest but an enjoyable experience on race day where I ran comfortably. 

Post marathon I ensured I recovered properly which is something I'd very much neglected in the past, rushing back into hard training too quick, plans for whats next started to develop in my head. 

Could I string a decent training block together and try for a sub 3? Where could I improve? A different training plan, a coach, running shoes with springs? The answer to these questions dawned on me......I could improve everywhere. 

To achieve my goals I would have to gain every possible performance improvement, take every marginal gain in the hope that pooled together those small gains could deliver the extra percent improvement required to reach the goal.

If nike could promise 4% and the 'Next' percent improvement from deciding to purchase their shoes surly I could gain as much if not more by improving my training, recovery, diet, sleep, mentality.....the list goes on. 

The decision was made, a spring marathon in 2020 with renewed purpose. 20 weeks to find and eke out every ounce of improvement to give me a shot and my long term goal. I need to find an improvement of 8% from my last marathon, 5% improvement on my PB from 18 months ago. 

I'm not sure how much improvement is available to me so I've christened it the X Percent. Having reviewed training plans I've settled on the Hanson Marathon Method. I've also been reviewing some recovery techniques, brain training techniques as well as other running gear, gadgets and gizmos that come with promises of gains. From beet root shots to elevation masks to the now famous Nike go faster shoes I'll be trying them all and logging the results here to help others improve or save their money and time!